Combined cigar-cutter and match holding and delivering device.



PATBNTBD SEPT. 19, 1905.

No. r199,999.

R. E. JACK. COMBINED CIGAR CUTTER AND MATCH HOLDING AND DELIVER-INGDEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5, 1904.

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NITED STATES I AIEI\IT OFFICE.

ROBERT E. JACK, OF MILWAUKEE, IVISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FREDC. MITCHELL, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

COMBINED CIGAR-CLITTER AND MATCH IIOLDING AND DELIVERING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1905.

Application filed August 5, 1904. Serial No. 219,597.

To @ZZ whom, t may concern,.-

Beit known that I, ROBERT E. J AOK, residing in Milwaukee, in the countyof Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and'usefulImprovements in a Combined Cigar-Cutter and Match Holding and DeliveringDevice, of which the following is a description, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, which are a part ofthis specification.

My invention has relation to a combined cigar-cutter and match holdingand delivering device.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterreferred to inwhich provision is made for cutting the end of a cigar(the cut being preferably in the form of a slit) and withdrawing a matchfrom the box or safe by a single operation, the said operation beingaccomplished in a machine composed of but few parts, and hence embodyingsimplicity and cheapness in construction.

With the above primary object and other incidental objects in view theinvention consists of the devices and parts or their equivalents, ashereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an edge elevation of thedevice, parts being in section on the plane indicated by the broken line1 1 of Fig. 2, and also showing the lower portion of the plunger-casingbroken away. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view' on the plane indicatedby the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the box or safe, theplungercasing extending upwardly therefrom being' sectioned on ahorizontal plane just above the top of the box or safe, as. indicated bythe Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4 4: of Fig. 2. Fig. 5isa horizontal section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 6 is ahorizontal section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 7 indicates a match box or safe,the matchchamber 8 thereof being formed by the end walls of the box inconjunctionwith downwardly slanting or inclined inner walls 9 9, whichmeet at their lower ends, thereby forming a converged match chamberwhich is widest at its upper portion. The top of the box is preferablycomposed of two similar sections 10 10, the inner edges thereof beingout of contact, so as to provide a match-slot 11, the slot beinggmadewider at its center by recessing the opposite central portions of theedges of the slot outwardly, as indicated by the numerals 12 12, therebyfacilitating the operation of the free insertion and removal of thematches. As a convenient means for detachably securing the top sections10 to the box or safe and at the same time avoid the use of screws,bolts, or the like, I provide the upper edges of the ends of the boxwith projecting T-shaped lugs 13 13 and the outer ends of the inneredges of the sections 10 with inwardly-extending projections 14 14,which when the top-sections are adjusted to the box are adapted to fitbeneath the heads of the T-shaped lugs.

Rising upwardly from the respective top sections 10 are members 15 15',preferably integral with said top sections. These members are providedlongitudinally with halfcircular recesses, which when the sections areadjusted together form a circular passage or bore. The members 15 15l attheir lower ends are curved or bent outwardly, as indicated by thenumerals 16 16, and join the bordering edges of the match-slot at theportions of said edges where the recesses 12 are located. Theseoutwardly bent or curved portions when the members 15 l5 are fittedtogether form an arch over the wide portion ofv the match-slot, so as toprevent the said members from interfering with the free insertion orremoval of the matches from the safe. From about the centers of themembers 15 15 downwardly said members are widened to form flat innerfaces, which bear against each other when the members are placedtogether. Projecting laterally from opposite side edges of these widenedportions are ears or lugs. The set of ears of the member 15 areindicated by the numerals 17 17 and the set of ears of the member 15 bythe numerals 18 18. These ears or lugs register, and screw-bolts 19 19pass through alined openings therein, the openings in the ears 18 beingthreaded to receive the threaded ends of the bolts. These bolts 19 arethe only bolts or screws employed throughout the entire structure forholding the parts together. The fiat face of each of the membersreferred to is provided at a point preferably near the upper end of saidflat face with inwardly-extending recesses 2O 20, which extend inwardlyfrom opposite edges and also taper inwardly, said recesses being sopositioned onv the respective members as to regis- IOO ter when themembers are brought together and to form a recess of substantially theshape of the tip or mouth end of a cigar.

Adapted to fit in registering longitudinal recesses in the members 15 15and to reciprocate therein is a plunger 21. The two members 15 15therefore form a casing for this plunger. The upper end of the plungeris provided with two oppositely-extending linger-pieces or handles 2222, which work and are guided in opposite guide-slots 23 23, extendingdownwardly for a desired distance from the upper ends of the members 1515. Of course, if desired, only one of these outwardly-extendinglinger-pieces could be employed, and in that event only one of the slots23 would be necessary. The upper portion of the plunger is encircled bya coiled spring 211, and the lower end of this spring is seated onshouldered portions 25, formed in the respective members of theplunger-casing. The upper end of the spring bears against the under sideof the handle of the plunger. The lower end of the plunger is providedwith sharp prongs 26 26, which are adapted, when the plunger is forceddownwardly against the action of the spring, to engage a match andthereby lift said match out of the box or safe when the plunger makesits return upward or outward stroke. Of course only one prong could` beprovided; but two are preferable, as affording a more effective meansfor engaging a match.

At a desirable point between the ends of the plunger the said plunger isprovided with outwardly-extending cutters or slitters 27 27, which whenthe plunger is in its normal raised position are located just above therecesses 20. It is obvious that only one of the recesses 20 could beprovided; but in that event only one of the slitters would be necessary.The two recesses for the tip end of the cigar, however,

are preferred, inasmuch as by the provision thereof a person can havethe tip end of his cigar slitted from either side edge of the device.The inner face of the member 15 is provided with transverse shoulders 2828, which form stops against which the knives contact on the upwardmovement of the plunger, whereby said upward movement of the plunger islimited.

As a matter of convenience the outer sides of the match box or safe maybe provided with roughened surfaces 29 for lighting a match withdrawnfrom the box. I also prefer to project all four sides of the boxoutwardly to form a fiat base 30, which not only serves as a firmfoundation for the machine, but at the same time may be used toadvantage as a means for displaying advertisements thereon-as, forinstance, advertisements of certain brands of cigars.

In the operation of the device the mouth end or tip of a cigar isinserted into either of the recesses 20. The handle of the plunger isthen grasped and said plunger forced downwardly against the action ofthe coiled spring. The knives by this movement are caused to travelacross the recesses 20, and the mouth end of the cigar which is insertedin one of said recesses is slitted by the action of the knife relatingto said particular recess. After the plunger has moved downwardly acertain distance its pronged lower end will enter the match box or safe,and the prongs will engage one of the matches, the V-shaped formation ofthe match-chamber of the box greatly facilitating the engagement. Afterthis the force applied to the plunger is removed, and said plunger bythe action of the coiled spring is caused to make a return upward oroutward movement and carry therewith a match impaled on the lower endthereof, the upward movement of the plunger being limited by contact ofthe knives with the shoulders 28. By this outward movement of theplunger the match is raised up beneath the arched formation at the lowerend of the plunger-casing, and hence is in convenient position to begrasped by the fingers and removed from the prongs.

While the particular details of construction hereinbefore described arepreferred, inasmuch as they make it possible to cast the entire devicein a very simple manner, and thereby cheapen to a great extent the costof manufacturepand also make it possible to construct the machine withthe fewest possible number of parts, which also contributes toward theinexpensiveness of the device, yet I do not `wish to be understood asrestricting myself specifically thereto, as my invention, broadlyconsidered, comprehends the employment of a match box or safe providedwith a matchslot, a member rising upwardly from the top of the box andprovided with one or more recesses for the insertion'therein of the tipor mouth end of a cigar, and a reciprocating knife-carrying plungeradapted on one movement thereof to slit or cut the end of the cigarinserted in the recess and in the same operation to engage a match inthe box and withdraw said match upon the reverse movement of theplunger. It is further to be understood that I do not limit myself tothe particular form of knife herein shown or described adapted forslitting the end of the cigar, inasmuch as the knife may be soconstructed as to cut olf the end of the cigar instead of slitting thesame without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Idesire, further, to be understood as not limiting the invention to thecutter, in combination with the matchbox and the means for removing thematches from the box, but that the cutting mechanism may be employedindependently of the box, or vice versa, the box and the match-removingmechanism independent of the cutter.

IOC)

IIO

What I claim as my invention isl. In a device of the character setforth, the combination of the base having an open top, astandard risingtherefrom and provided with a central bore, a slit extending laterallyfrom said bore, and a socket in its side through which said slitextends, a plunger mounted in the central hore and adaptedto hedepressed into the base and having a match-grasping linger at its lowerend, ablade carried by the plunger and playing in the said slit, andmeans' for reciprocating Athe plunger.

2. The improved device herein set forth comprising a base having an opentop, a standard rising from the base and arched over the open top of thesame, said standard having a central bore extending upward from itsarched the central bore of the standard and having a match-g raspiugngeratits lower end adapted to be depressed into the hase, blades secured tothe plunger and extending laterally therefrom through the slits in thestandard, and means forl reciprocating said plunger.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT JACK.

Witnesses:

A. L. MoRsELL, ANNA F. SCHMIDTBAUER.'

